Sailing Big Water 2012

I know I've mentioned it several times but here is a slide show of our big water outing. Day was marvelous, ended up going out three times that day. We also ended becalmed and drifting but great fun was had by all. Andy Linn has offered new sails for next season so we'll get it started out right. As I type this the boat is covered in snow. Don't worry she's covered. But many great plans are being made for next season! Have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year from the IP&NCo.!

Heading Towards the End

The IP&NCo. has plans for some big water sailing later in the week so work has been heavy these last few days. As I have eluded to in previous posts there are a few nagging issues with the rig that need immediate attention. I have a terrible habit of sailing by the lee. When I head dead downwind the boom sky's then snap jibes. It's a bit of a terrifying experience and not one I enjoy very much. So The Typesetter and I spent the better part of this past Tuesday figuring out how to keep the boom down. At the last sailing session he had jury rigged a quick fix that tamed the boom enough for sailing in moderate winds. But a more permanent solution was needed.
Being the guys we are about eighty percent of our day was spent making things way more complicated then they needed to be while buying parts we ended up not needing. Finally a design was decided on in ten minutes later we had the result.

Tension is maintained with the turnbuckle and it works quite well so far on land. The end result is the boat is now a bit safer and it increases the performance envelope of my boat. The improvement of sail shape, such as it is, is markedly improved. Or at least my sail girts are in the proper orientation now.
The sail itself is on it's last legs. They came with the boat and are the original sails as of August 2008. I've sailed holes in them. Andy has graciously offered to build some new sails.

We have some big water sailing scheduled later in this week and this time I'll be sure to have the camera. Tonight however they are forecasting wind and possible snow in the valley. Winter comes quickly in Western Montana. I've buttoned down the boat as best I can and made some hot cocoa.

I like how she looks like Nautilus from from the 50's Disney movie. One of my favorites! I leave you with a quick tour of the boat.

The Goose Comes Home and a Jib Comes Down

It only took a year but the Goose is finally home! Yes the famous "eXpedition" eDition by the indomitable Andy Lin is now safe and secure in my yard. I'll let the pictures tell the story of the move.

Sitting forlornly on her trailer.

Throwing some Titebond at a corner

All hooked up and ready for a move

Safe at home

Some work was done on the Blue Flower as well. I've encountered a few problems with lowering her jib during rising winds. The obvious answer was a downhaul. So after a quick trip to Ace work began in earnest, the Typesetter working and me photographing. First up was adding a nylock to the jib block. (There is probably a better name for this particular block but I'll simply put up a picture.)

Flattering picture of the Typesetter digging under the foredeck

Lending a hand. Literally

With the block in place we set up the downhaul. Seems there were a few other bits on the boat at one time as there are three distinct holes in the bowsprit. We added a block, ran the line through the hanks and a downhaul was had. Here are some pictures.

Always excited to get a new line on the boat

Through the block and aft. A great setup!

The second issue we tackled was the consistent issue with the triple block set up on the mainsheet. I've never been happy with the slow response and the amount of drag in the set up. Maybe with her original 80sqft of polytarp but now it's overkill and more so dangerous. I'm unable to get the boom far enough with sheet to control her safely and the slow response can be killer in high wind. My last  few forays in wind I've attached the mainsheet directly to the boom and held it in hand for better feel and control. After a bit of discussion it was decided a traveler rig was the best set up. We could have opted for a fancy double block but a single ring was used instead. The swivel block from the old set up was attached to the boom after a bit of eyebolt wrestling by the human vice and the new set up shows marked improvement while on the hard. We hope to do water testing soon!

Notice too that pictures have returned to the blog! My camera has already survived one capsising and is still going strong. Look for more pictures and adventures soon!

Busy Summer

Launch of my boat with it's original 80sqft sail plan. Stolen shamelessly from the Sleeping Schnauzer.

 It's been a fairly busy couple of days. Seze is now full rigged and waiting to return to her trailer. The varnish really improves the appearance of the vessel. Now he won't admit it, but when I first introduced him to wooden boats The Typesetter couldn't understand why people varnished wooden boats to make them look like fine cabinets. I think he understands now, his boat has more bare varnished wood then both of mine put together. Or it could just be a happy accident.
 Re-rigging the boat was an experience in itself. I have no camera and forgot to take notes when I disassembled the rig. I was left with spars ten miles away and a literal plastic bag of boat parts Now my rig is far from being the most complicated, I would imagine most plastic boats this size have far more rigging bits then mine, but it seemed daunting nonetheless. All my life I've been taking stuff apart. Sometimes to see how it worked, other times to simply take it apart for the sake of seeing how many parts were in it. And I can't count on one hand the times I put what I took apart back together. So while taking it apart is a theme,  putting it back together certainly isn't. Well the Typesetter put three good coats of spar varnish on my bits and let me know he was done. So with nothing else to do I picked them up and figured I'd wait a bit to look at pictures and the like to prepare.
 Turns out I'm also impulsive and impatient. What started as simply putting the bits back on turned into fully re-rigging the boat. First up was putting the pulleys and metal sidebars on the lower mast. Now when Andy rebuilt her, in his finite wisdom he added a tabernacle mast much like the one found on his Weekender. I'll spare you the details but just to say the first time I put it together I got it all backwards. On the plus side judging by the holes and wear telltales on the mast I was not the first to make this mistake.
 The rig proper was fairly easy to get done. I did learn that my fear of heights disappears when I'm rigging a gaff rig ten feet up on a shaky aluminum ladder. Who knew, right?
 With and extra day off evening work I pulled the Trudy off the blocks she's been resting on all winter and wrung out her spirit sail for the first time in a year. She's rested about as well as one would expect. A full restoration would be required to get her up to snuff. I could sail her now but a few hours of work will make her her truly ship shape once more. One thing that did impress me, as it always does is the simplicity of her sprit sail. I'd forgotten I'd added a boom and she responded well while yard sailing today. I think I'll need to fashion a proper mast and spars for her. And redo the rudder with less haste and more thought to actually making it work. Once I get the bugs worked out I hope to use her as my training ship for prospective captains and mates to Blue Flower. If you can sail an eight foot dinghy with a sprit rig I figure you can sail just about anything, certainly a 12' gaff rigged microjammer.
 As work continues on my current fleet a few nagging thoughts come up. As always, what is the next boat. This has been a constant on this blog and it's no closer to getting solved. The fact is I have a boat I can finish without too much work. She's the eXpedition Goose, 12' of pure Andy Linn innovation and planning. Really a scaled up Salem Electron, a PDR he sailed on the 2009 Texas 200. She's got a centerboard, rakish shape, a cloud of sail and designed for long distance solo sailing. Andy actually just finished his last? Texas 200 in an Perttu Korhonen designed Oooze Goose. She's carry four comfortably and be safe for Flathead if I wanted to take her out on big water. The cost is finishing up the centerboard, painting, framing and decking. And finding a 100sqft lug sail.
 Currently she sits in the Typesetters boat yard with a coat of primer and no wood work completed. It's almost August and I can't leave her there forever, nor in that state. She was given to me for free and she's mine so finding something to do with her is up to me. Part of me want's to find her a nice family who'll use her every weekend. I mean I could use her every weekend and I may end up doing that but only time will tell.
 IF I were to have a next boat, the list is short. Bolger Tinycat (Bobcat), Mayfly 14 and the Goat Island Skiff. All have their plus's and minus' but they are all a step up from the Super Teal. They will require more attention, patience, materials and money then my current build. If I were to add an in between boat I'd include the Bolger Payson Windsprint.
 But 80% of boating is planning and scheming that rarely comes to fruition.But it's a damn sight better then nothing at all!

Doldrums....Not Quite

 The varnished mast, spars and trim are sitting on the trailer as I type this. And they look gorgeous. Now comes the bit where I put it all back together. Weather permitting I'll finish most of it up tomorrow. After a bit of discussion we'll be changing the triple purchase offset mainsheet to a single purchase traveler set up. Should ease some of the problems I've had with the boat in heavier airs. The Typesetter is pushing to get the Goose done and other distractions are taking up their share of my time and money. Oh if only I had a single hobby! But juggling is half the battle and I'll be back on the water by mid August, if not sooner. I do have S/V Trudy if I get desperate.

Demasted

S/V Blue Flower Gooseneck (Stolen from Sleeping Schnauzer)

 After an hours work the Blue Flowers rig has been taken off and stripped. I'm left with an upside down boat and a bag full of hardware. The masts, spars, bowsprit, tiller and trim are at The Typesetters for varnish. From what I can tell the wood has never been finished. I can't wait to see to see what she looks like when it's all done but I feel kinda empty with a partial boat out in the yard.

 I must admit I felt a little weird as I took apart the rig. This is what gives my boat her identity as a sailboat and is her only mode of propulsion. I did get to see a lot of the detail that went to the rig though. Most of the attachments are hand made and the nylon lock nut is the preferred fastener of choice. The spars and mast are surprisingly  light weight and easily transported. I'm unsure of the wood used but it's rather dense.

 Underneath the bow trim piece I found the other mast step, about a foot forward of the one I use now. Would give a jaunty catboat look and maybe open up the possibility for a mizzen but that's for another day.  I'm thinking that sandpaper may take off enough of the top coat to get rid of the white speckles that coat the starboard side of the boat. When this refit is done she'll take on more of the identity I'd like for my boat. She'll still turn heads no matter where she goes and that is important. What sailor doesn't want a good looking boat?

 So I'm out of the sailing game for a few days but I could use a break. I figured it's 24 miles to my pond one way. Last week I drove almost 200 miles going sailing. That's a lot of gas! I'm thinking of cutting it back to twice a week for the pond or once a week to bigger waters. Will it happen like that? I don't know but it's a good plan. I'm hoping to get The Typesetter and S/V Pica out on the water with me a few times. Always more fun to sail with friends.

Setting Her Up

 One of my favorite rituals is the after sail ritual with my boat. When she has done her duty and deserves some TLC for a job well done. I think these times with a boat, or any hobby, are important. When I'm on the water, I depend on my boat for my safe return home. Call it what you will but I have and will continue to view her as a living thing and as such deserving of kind words and attention. I've found things powered by steam and old cars are no different.
 First thing to do is to step the mast and raise the sails. This shakes out the rigging and makes inspecting it all the easier. Then it's on to sweeping the interior and inspecting the fore and aft bulkheads. Tonight this included tightening the eye bolts at the rear of the cockpit. One of them holds a Race-lite swivel block that has a habit of catching at the most inopportune times, leading to poor sail handling verging on dangerous. The Typesetter noticed them moving on the last sail so I decided to limit the movement of the eye. This involved removing the seat and getting into various contorted positions with a screw driver and crescent wrench. This lead to a general inspection and tightening of all screws, nuts and bolts on the entire vessel.
 The next step is prepping the vessel to sail at the next available moment. Part of the joy of a small boat is the impulsive sail. The more ready your boat, the more impulsive you can be. Having got the sailing out of my system I set the boat for full readiness. Anchor and anchor bag stowed forward. Two PFD's for captain and possible crew. A few good reading books in aft compartment as well as a small store of water, foul weather gear and ball bungees. Everything I need for a day on the pond.
 The final step is tarping the boat for storage. I use an old tent fly and secure it with railroad spikes. This keeps the water and tree needles out of the bilge.
 Today I found several interesting things I think are worthy of note. I finally got around to measuring my sails and found more then ten square feet I didn't know existed. Andy provided me a sail plan of 45sqft when I questioned him about my sails. Originally the Annas Discors sported eighty square feet of sail so a reduction seemed prudent. But according to my calculations and not to imprecise measurements I have 57.8sqft, very close to the 59sqft Leg O' Mutton specified in the original plans.
 One thing that has been annoying me of late is my seat. So today I decided to fix it. The seat itself is warped and the original Chinese pot metal screws appeared to have been attached by a palsied blind man. It's a amazing what wood screws can do. Seat now is firmly attached and ready for more use.
 One of the briefs in the making of this crafts was for a lot of strings to play with it. I'm thinking of adding one more. I've found that the inability to drop my jib has caused issues. So I'm going to rig a downhaul with appropriate line and tackle. This will make docking and a much happier experience. No longer will I clamber forward and flail at the jib hoping I don't go into the drink. Hopefully I'll have pictures of that project.
 Also my boat needs a flag. I've looked at plenty of pictures and if I have my way Old Glory will be hanging from the gaff the next time I set to see.
 Don't think I'll be heading out on the brimy deep until after Independence day. I could be wrong though.  Actually, I kind of hope I am.

Sailing, sailing!

 Storms are forecast this weekend which puts a damper on my sailing activities, but it's been a busy week. Wednesday I met up with The Typesetter for some Teal sailing. After getting the boat in the water I noticed some major differences in the wind. It should be noted the wind blows W-E usually on the pond so you can beat to the western bowl and then run to the eastern one. After some experimentation I found the wind to be hard out of the NNW. This meant almost no ground gained on the port tack and very little on the starboard. I wouldn't call it frustrating but it did change the way I went up the pond. In sailing I've learned sometimes you take what you can get and patience is a virtue when you're not really trying to get anywhere. And also that it's fun to sail literal rings around your sailing partner because you can.
 Thursday I took my friend Spark out sailing. Of course with a passenger the wind did not cooperate, but even in light winds S/V Blue Flower sails. If you can call drifting against the wind sailing. I discovered the first day I got the boat out that she'll sail in nothing. Give me good wishes and some unicorn burps and we'll make way upwind. It's a bit disconcerting, especially if you're not trying to go anywhere at the time. I think it comes down to the fact the boat is amazingly well balanced and set up right. Or that Andy just got lucky.
 People are continually impressed with the boat. This only increases my desire to finish the few projects I have and really make her stand out. The plan is now that I've sailed to get the paint and varnish on by the end of July. With the boat here at the residence I have a feeling that will go much faster now. But I am looking forward to a very full and rewarding 2012 sailing season.

To Every Season a Beginning

Let me see if I can remember the proper sequence of events. First there was disaster. Then a catatrophe. I fell in a pond. Then smooth sailing. And I've only had my first sailing day of the season! Yes the flagship of the Western Montana Home Built Boat Association and the Unofficial Tall Ship of the Circle J Trailer Court the S/V Blue Flower has had her first sailing day of the season!
I woke up this morning needing to go sailing. The weather was perfect, the kind of cloudless hot day that promises rising wind in the afternoon. Only two problems: My boat was ten miles from my house and it wasn't on a legal trailer.
The trailer itself comes from the indomitable Andy Linn who brought it up from Oregon. That coastal and smart state it seems does not require documentation for a trailer as small as this one. Not to mention it had been improved in the care of Mr. Linn. So no title, registration, or plates. After procrastination I learned fixing problem was simplicity itself. I needed to get a VIN assigned to the trailer, have a badged officer inspect and sign off on it, then pay a one time registration fee. Simple.
Except it wasn't. I called in The Typesetter for a bit of help prepping the boat. It took us fifteen minutes cold to get the spars and mast on, rig the main and jib and start trailer sailing. With that done I went to work with an eight dollar Harbor Freight stamp set to put my VIN on the tongue of the trailer. The final step was getting an officer of the law to inspect my work. I called the non emergency number and was informed an officer would show up as soon as possible. Half of Tom Clancy's Debt of Honor later I called again, simply wondering how things were going. I was told it was a very busy day for Missoula's Finest and there was no ETA at this time. Time to take matters into my own hands. I rigged the boat and trailer for motion and set out to the county courthouse with a completly illegal trailer in tow behind my Beetle intending to simply sort it out.
I forgot to mention I purchased a trailer jack as well as the stamp set at Harbor Freight. A wise investment it turns out. Makes single handling the trailer much more user friendly and far less awkward. If you have a trailer I suggest one if you don't have one. Beats the log I was using to prop it up when not in use.
I arrived at the Treasurers office, took a number, waited, and was informed they could not inspect my trailer. No problem the cop shack is across the street. I flagged down an officer and the deed was done. Eighty odd dollars and a printer mishap later I walked out with my plate. Hung it on the trailer with a few paper clips and prepared to hit the water. Did I mention the side chewing my boat took due to a poorly placed ratchet strap? No matter, I was going sailing!
Arrived at the local scum pond just as The Typesetter was getting out. He had been rowing his Teal, the S/V Pica and was knackered. I suggested he dump the sweeps and we form a Teal armada. The wind had risen quite a bit and he did not seem interested in raising sail for it, never mind the armada. I pushed on and splashed S/V Blue Flower. The locals seemed impressed. Seze seemed happy to be in the water once more but it was a front. She was scheming for revenge. With much fanfare I pushed off from the dock. The rudder pin came loose from it's gudgeons and I screamed across the pond with a bone in my teeth right into a  submerged tree on the opposite shore. I'm guessing it must have looked quite impressive right to the point I failed to turn and ran into a tree.
I first tried to remove my Teal from the tree by using profanity but that ploy failed. So it was into the drink and much fussing and maneuvering to get the boat turned round and the sail depowered. Robinson Crusoe would have been proud.Underway once more and I could not make against the wind. So it was off to another shore where The Typesetter was kind enough to lend a hand. With a better shape in my sail I managed to beat towards the dock until my boat refused to answer her helm and sails and I crashed into the far shore once more.
It is my guess my boat did not like being locked in a garage all winter and decided she could do what she pleased now that she was on the water. As I fussed and fretted we had a long conversation on who was in fact the boat and who was the captain and what that meant. I think she listened.
Throughout the preceding I had taken my main sheet from triple purchase to hand held. It was a life saver. Although fine on the boats Blue Flower impersonates it is simply to much with varied winds and a very light sail and boom. When hit by a gust the response is just slow enough to be dangerous and the sheet itself was not long enough to truly spill the wind and depower the sail. Single purchases will be the next major upgrade and it will be well worth the small expense and labor.
Out of nowhere a perfect sail shape emerged, the sun came out and the wind died down. I found the boat responsive on all points of sail. I shook out the jib as I had been running main only, sheeted home and Blue Flower hiked up her skirts and took off like a scalded cat. The next two hours was wonderful sailing. We tacked and gybed, ran and beat. Came close to hull speed a few times and impressed the natives with a very slick looking docking maneuver. This was the sailing I had been dreaming about. I closed down the park and am resolved to return next week. Worth it all and can't wait for the next time!
P.S. You may have noticed a lack of pictures. The reason is lack of camera.

Speech

While digging through some old writings I found the speech I gave at the launching of my first boat, the S/V Wawona. Figured I'd post it here.

"There is nothing absolutely nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." Friends, Members of the Board, future crew, It is a pleasure to speak to you today on the auspicious occasion of the launch of my first vessel of the Inland Packet & Navigation Company. A brief history is in order. The vessel whom bore this name first was built for the booming Puget Sound lumber trade over a century ago in 1897. She also worked as a fishing ship before finding salvation as a museum ship when her sisters had been broken up. But even she could not be saved as the ravages of time dictated her dismantlement earlier last year. I was fortunate enough to have seen her during a trip to Settle a few years ago. Even in her derelict state, with holes punched in her side and her masts floating beside her she still possessed the grandeur and poise that all tall ships carry with them. I was sad to hear this great dame of the sea would be no more as I saw her. But her legacy lives on more so then when she was whole. And in honor of that grand ship and her legacy, her name will live on.

Today I want to speak to you about doing. That is the actual act of taking action to create something with a tangible result. And how it has made an ambition of mine into the reason we're standing here today. It has been a long time coming. For years I have dreamed of sailing for reasons as yet unexplained. And not just sailing in the sense of getting on a boat and cruising a local lake, but hiring out on a tall ship and sailing the blue world over in a time of wooden ships and iron men. My family has no maritime history that I'm aware of on either side. The military, teaching, or sheep ranching yes but certainly not sailing. My family are hardy inland folk and here I am looking for an ocean.

This has not been an easy project. When it was begun I was told it was a stupid idea and one with no merit. I ask those who informed me of this fact to look at the craft in front of them now. I've learned more from making this boat then I would have not making it. To borrow a quote from seaQuest DSV "Nothing a man makes with his own two hands is ever a waste of time." Granted I am a dreamer, but I made this dream a reality. All my heroes have been dreamers of one sort or another. Howard Hughes, who revolutionized the aircraft industry and construction with a plane they said could not fly. Ismbard Kingdom Brunel, the genius of British engineering who's bridges are still in use and who created the worlds largest ship fifty years ahead of it's time. These men it should be said are remembered not for their dreams, but for their deeds. The proof is still with us to this day. And that is the the act of doing.

So I'm going to end with a truth and a challenge. Every one of you can build your own boat. And maybe it's not a boat you're building, but if you stop dreaming and start doing you can build it. Stop looking at why it won't work and start looking to how it can. And don't wait until tomorrow, do it today. Every step no matter how seemingly unimportant has significance. And it's holding on that that significance that makes it all worth while. I end, as I want with a quote from Teddy Roosevelt. I keep this on my phone play it back from time to time to remember how important doing is. "“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

It Starts

  Finally broke down and got to work today. With some flat white latex I repainted the hull and interior of Blue Flower. Someone once told me the cheapest way to add value to a house is to paint it. Seems to work with boats too. Seze looks like she's owned by someone who cares. Took me all of about twenty minutes. There is not a lot of surface area on a 12' boat apparently. Major painting work will be another coat of white, figuring out how to get the brown decks back to a solid color, the deck lines repainted, and a blue sheer stripe added.   
  Then it's the sanding and varnishing of the spars and mast.
  Trailer got some work too. Well the tires were sent to a shop to be looked at in preparation for season. Have to repack the bearings and wire in the combined lights harness. Oh and register it.
Nice to take that first step though!

3D Update

    I've been sick this week and what else to do while the death cold is slowly draining your life through your nose then work on your virtual boat? So here is an updated S/V Blue Flower mesh. The biggest change is the proportions for the interior are much closer to the actual vessel.The daggerboard box and the airboxes have been added for clarity. I updated the wood to better approximate the color and texture I'm going for as has the color scheme. It is a pity I can't do the curves like I'd like but so far I have a fair idea of what it's going to take to bring my dream boat to life.
   In other news I have new poly sails on order from Dave over at  Polysail. Some cool updates to the sail plan so keep your eyes peeled.

Going 3D

   In PDR terms 3D means the hull is now assembled to the point it resembles a hull. In my terms it means I've gotten bored and rendered my boat in Bryce 5.5 to examine what the inside looks like. The Typesetter and I were over at the Blue Flowers winter home taking things apart and making plans for the future. We uncovered some pretty interstng stuff in the process.

    In this photo the Typesetter has decided to take a nap. He is in fact looking forward under the front deck to figure out how things on the boat are built. The reason is I plan on brightworking and painting this spring and knowing how it comes apart now will have great dividends in the future. Pat P. built her well and it's been a fascinating process seeing how my boat came together. So in between bantering about what to do with the sail rig we have uncovered what must come apart to turn this boat into a show stopper.

    Here you can really see the workmanship put into this boat. The pegs on the floor are the current mast position. Looking forward you see the jib boom attachment and beyond that the second mast partner. If I wanted I could turn my boat into a cat boat. And beyond that you see the reinforcement for the stem and dolphin knocker. Both of which will be brightworked.
    The interior is a much different matter. I'm thinking bright seat and duckboards. How to accomplish this I hadn't a clue so I rendered it in Bryce 5.5 to take a look. Should be noted my boat has curves that the landscape rendering program was not designed for but it does give the impression I wanted. And I think it looks wonderfully nautical.

       I figure if the weather holds I can start cutting the planks next week and at least get them fitted. It might be cold but no reason work can't continue. Looking forward to a great 2012.

New Years Resolutions?

   Well it's a new year and a happy 2012 from all of here the IP&NCo.! It's going to be a great year and sailing will feature prominently. There are two resolutions I have that involve boats and the water. The first is spending more time during this dull off season working on the boat. Procrastination and excuses because it's cold and I can't sail get me no closer to to it being warm and able to sail. I posted a list a few entries back about what needed to be done to get Blue Flower finished. A more important list would be what I can do now.

1. Sand the mast, boom, and gaff in preparation for varnish.
2. Prep the interior and exterior for painting.
3. Order new sails.
4. Purchase hardware prior to installation. Jam cleat, deck plates, assorted.

   That alone should keep me busy through the cold. I just can't sit here and do nothing on my boat. Doing a lot of reading on the gaff rig and small boats in general. And after a conversation with the Typesetter, we all know how those go, looks like the Mayfly 14 is back in the works. I know I was all hot and bothered for the Ocean Explorer and I still may build it. But it's not getting me any closer to THE boat. It's cute, unique and would be much fun to build but when it's all said and done it's a one person boat if I'm honest. And I'm not really interested in a one person boat. Sailing is so much more fun with two. Or with the load of provisions a two person craft can take!
   So what crazy changes are you making to the Mayfly you're asking. Gaff rig? Jib? Yawl? Dagger board and trolling motor? I really hate to disappoint but I'm leaning towards none of that. Shocking. The plan is pretty solid and although I'd love to buck it, you can't deny the utility, ease, and power of a balanced lug rig. The leeboard is a pretty bullet proof and safe for re-orienting the hatches I don't see a need for a major change in the boat or rig. This is going to be a boat for the Flathead and I think I need to keep her pretty close to plan.
   Over the holiday season I re-watched Tom Cunliffes wonderful Boats That Built Britain series and was again blown away by the knowledge contained and the production value. Of particular interest are the episodes on the schooner HMS Pickle and the big herring lugger Reaper. The HMS Pickle segment deals with the development of the fore and aft rig and the Reaper episode the evolution of the Scottish fishing craft. Seeing as I sail a gaff rig and am familiar with the lug sail it's good to see it on such a scale. Not a bad way to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winters night!
  The second resolution for this year is simply to sail more. Looking back at this last summer I'm reminded of the days I could have gone out and did not for a variety of pleasant distractions and reasons. But where would I be now had I hit the water if only for a few hours? Granted I didn't have a trailer hitch but that has been rectified so I do hope to spend more days on the water as opposed to the shore wishing I was on the water! So I'll leave this post with a picture of what will become a common sight here in the Garden City. If you see us, stop by and say "hi". We love visitors and love to talk sailing. Here's to a great and wet 2012!